An ice hockey star who accidentally killed his opponent with the blade of his boot during a match will not face charges.
The player, who was not named by police, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following the death of American centre player Adam Johnson in October 2023.
Nottingham Panthers star Johnson, 29, had his throat cut during a collision in the 35th minute of an Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) Challenge Cup match.
He collapsed in front of 8,000 horrified spectators at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena, home of that evening’s rivals, the Sheffield Steelers.
The incident was also broadcast online, as players formed a protective ring around Johnson as paramedics rushed onto the ice to treat him.
However, he was later declared dead after being taken to the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield.
South Yorkshire Police launched an investigation following his death, and had arrested a man on suspicion of manslaughter.
The player was told to remain in the UK by police under his bail conditions – which were extended several times while the investigation continued.
But a year and a half later, the Crown Prosecution Service has decided it will not bring criminal charges against the player after concluding there was not a ‘realistic prospect of conviction for any criminal offence’.
Michael Quinn, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor, said: ‘This was a shocking and deeply upsetting incident.
‘The CPS and South Yorkshire Police have worked closely together to determine whether any criminal charges should be brought against the other ice hockey player involved.
‘Following a thorough police investigation and a comprehensive review of all the evidence by the CPS, we have concluded that there is not a realistic prospect of conviction for any criminal offence and so there will not be a prosecution.
‘Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Adam Johnson.’
Johnson’s death sent shockwaves through the ice hockey world and renewed a debate about the safety of the sport.
Two months after Johnson’s death, the English Ice Hockey Association made neck guards mandatory equipment for athletes at all levels except the EIHL – the level at which Johnson was playing.
The EIHL has said it will ‘strongly encourage’ their use but has stopped short of making them a requirement. Many professional players have started using them regardless, including in America’s NHL.
His girlfriend, Ryan Wolfe, has continued to pay tribute to him on social media – most recently six months ago on her Instagram.
Johnson had been planning to propose, his aunt had told local news channel KSTP-TV.
She wrote on October 28 last year – the one year anniversary of the tragedy: ‘Today marks one year since the worst day imaginable.
‘This past year without you has truly been nothing short of a nightmare. There hasn’t been a day that’s gone by when I haven’t thought of you, missed you, wanted to talk with you, complain with you, be lazy with you or just exist in your presence.
‘Feeling your absence extra today and keeping your memory close to my heart always.
‘I wish more than anything we could’ve had more time together babe, I love you always Adam J.’
She shared a cache of images of the pair together on occasions such as Halloween and at Los Angeles’ hugely popular Urban Light landmark.
The player who collided with the American was said to be ‘absolutely distraught’ following the incident.
Footage appeared to show him colliding with one of Johnson’s teammates, knocking him off balance and sending his leg into the air.
It was during this fall that his boot made contact with Johnson’s neck.
The player reportedly became the target of trolling and hate mail in the days after the tragedy – but Nottingham Panthers fans who witnessed the tragedy had said ‘no one was to blame’ for the collision.
Johnson’s side, the Nottingham Panthers, has described the incident as a ‘freak accident’ since confirming his death.
Fans said they had seen the player ‘break with shock and trauma’ as it dawned on him what had happened.
Tina Taylor, a Panthers supporter, said at the time: ‘It was a one in a million chance occurrence and will probably never happen again. It was a complete freak accident.’
Julie Whitnum, another Panthers fan, said the accident was a ‘one off, it was awful’, adding: ‘It was not a deliberate or foul play.’
Another fellow supporter, Hazel Woods, who witnessed the tragedy, said: ‘What happened was horrible and I can’t get the image out of my head. It is like a bad dream I can’t wake up from.’
She added: ‘It was a freak accident, totally tragic, and no one was to blame.’
Johnson, from Hibbing, Minnesota, had risen through the ranks of his high school ice hockey team and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins before joining NHL side the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2019, playing 13 games.
As Covid delayed the American season, he transferred across the Atlantic to the Malmö Redhawks in Sweden, hopping back to sign with Canada’s Ontario Reign.
He then returned to Europe and played for Germany’s Ausgburger Panther before he signed with the Nottingham Panthers in the UK.
Johnson’s number 47 jersey was later retired by the Nottingham Panthers. A GoFundMe Campaign in aid of his family later raised £17,000.Peter Spencer, the BBC Radio Sheffield ice hockey reporter who was at the game, said that the tragedy was ‘certainly not an incident that I have ever seen the like of and hopefully I will not see the like of again’.